Refrigerating apparatus



, June 6, 1939. KARR 'REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed June 11, 1937 INVENTOR v I rll'lilllll liillililli a 1 AZj1'edD.Kann Z7 HI 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented June' 6, 1939 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATIN G APPARATUS Alfred D. Karr, Newark, N. J., assignor to Ingersoll-Rand Company, Jersey City, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 11, 1937, Serial No.-147,618

9 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus for cooling liquid by subjecting it to reduced pressure, and more particularly to refrigerating apparatus of the type in which a liquid undergoes a series of vaporizing actions at progressively lower pressures to be progressively cooled.

An object of the invention is to assure simplicity and flexibility of operation in apparatus of this type.

Another object of the invention is to avoid complex valving arrangements for controlling the amount of refrigeration produced.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawing, in which like numerals denote like parts,

Figure 1 is a vertical elevation, partly in section, of refrigerating apparatus constructed in accordance with the practice of the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view through Figure 1 on the line 2-2, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view through Figure 1 on the line 3-3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the invention is shown embodied in water vapor refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator vessel 20 to which suitable evacuators, shown as steam jet boosters 2i and 22, are connected to produce low pressures in the vessel under the action of which water is cooled by partial vaporization.

The evaporator vessel 20 is shown divided into upper and lower compartments by a horizontal partition 23 and is provided with an inlet 24 for water to the upper compartment. An outlet port 25 in the partition 23 leads from the upper compartment into the lower compartment and an outlet 26 serves to drain the water from'the bottom of the vessel.

The evacuators 2| are connected to draw vapor from the upper compartment and serve to produce low pressure in the compartment under the action of which a certain degree of cooling is effected in the water in the compartment. The evacuators 22 are connected to draw vapor from the lower compartment and serve to produce lower pressure in this compartment than the pressure produced in the upper compartment. The cooled water delivered from the upper compartment into the lower compartment is subjected to the lower pressure and is cooled further. The water may then be drained from the lower compartment through a pipe 21 to be impelled to a place of use (not shown) where its refrigerating efiect may be utilized, and the used Water may return. to the evaporator through a pipe 28 which is connected to the inlet 24 in the upper compartment.

The evacuators 2| and 22 discharge to a con denser 29 of suitable form in which the vapors from the evaporator compartments and the steam from the ejectors is condensed. A suitable vacuum pump (not shown) will be connected to the condenser by a pipe 30 and will serve to remove uncondensible gases from the condenser and to maintain vacuum throughout the system.

The parts so far described are of conventional types in which, as heretofore used, the liquid to be cooled flows continuously through all of the 15 compartments in the evaporator irrespective of the refrigerating load on the system. In prior structures involving these parts it has also been the practice to employ complex valving arrangements in the ejector casings or to employ condenser means having a separate condensing chamber for each ejector to prevent backingup of vapor from the condenser into evaporator compartments which have been rendered inactive to reduce the refrigerating capacity of the evaporator. The present invention avoids such complex structures and the disadvantages attendant therewith, and provides an evaporator having groups of chambers in which liquid to be cooled passes successively from the chambers of one group to the chambers of another group. Any of the chambers may be rendered inactive for refrigerating purposes without destroying the communication between the chamber and the condenser and in each of such inactive chambers refrigerant will automatically cease flowing. The construction in each chamber is such that the only operation necessary to reduce thecapacity of the evaporator is the shutting-off of an ejector for a chamber.

In the illustrated form of the invention, thev upper compartment of the evaporator vessel contains one group of chambers and the lower compartment contains another group of chambers. Two horizontally disposed chambers 3| and 32 are shown in the upper compartment separated by a vertical transverse partition 33 central in the vessel 20 and depending from the top thereof to a point somewhat above the partition 23.

A trough centrally positioned in the upper compartment and closed at its ends by the side walls of the vessel 20, has side walls or weirs 34 on opposite sides of and spaced from the partition 33 and has a bottom 35 at an elevation intermediate the bottomof the partition 33 and the .1

partition 23. The trough cooperates with the partition 33 to define'inlet wells 36, one in each of the chambers 3| and 32, and the inlet 26 opens into the bottom of the trough below the partition 33 to admit liquid to the wells. The weirs 34 terminate short of the top of the vessel 2!] to deliver liquid to the chambers, and, if desired, each weir may be provided with a series of ports 37 near its top. Liquid in the wells serves to seal the chambers one from the other.

The chambers 3| and 32 communicate at the bottom beneath the bottom 35 of the trough, and cooled liquid collecting in the chambers serves as a seal between the bottoms of the chambers. The outlet port 25 in the partition 23 serves as a common outlet for liquid from all the chambers of the first group and to deliver such liquid to the chambers of a second group. Each of the chambers 3| and 32 may also be provided with a battle 38 near its bottom for restricting the flow ,of liquid therefrom. I

The outlet port 25 is preferably central in the partition '23 and a conduit 33 connected to the port depends from the partition within the lower compartment of the vessel. Vertical partitions 4| and 42 depending from the partition 23 and connected to the conduit 43 on opposite sides thereof, preferably lie in the same plane and extend to the side walls of the vessel 26 to divide the lower compartnzgnt into horizontally disposed chambers 39 and The conduit 43 and partitions 4| and 42 terminate short of the bottom of the lower compartment, and a trough centrally positioned in the lower compartment and closed at its ends by the side walls of th vessel 26, has side walls or weirs 45 on opposite sides of and spaced from the partitions 4| and-42 and has a bottom 46 below the bottomsof the partitions 4| and 42 and the conduit 43 and above the bottom of the lower compartment. The trough cooperates with the partitions 4| and 42 to define inlet wells 44, one in each of the chambers 39 and 40, and the conduit 43 opens into the bottom of the trough to admit liquid to the wells 44. The weirs 45 terminate short of the partition 23 to deliver liquid to the chambers 39 and 46, and, if desired, may be provided with ports 41 near their tops. Liquid in the wells 44 serves to seal chambers 39 and 46 from each other.

The chambers 39 and 40 communicate at the bottom beneath the bottom 46 of the trough, and cooled liquid collecting in the chambers serves as a seal between the bottoms of these chambers. The outlet 26 from the vessel 20 is preferably central in the bottom of the vessel and serves as a common outlet for liquid from the chambers 39and 46, The chambers 39 and 40 may also be provided with bailles 46, similar to the baflles 38, which serve to restrict the flowo'f liquid from the chambers 39 and 40 to the outlet 26.

Suitable means are provided for controlling the amount of liquid delivered to the evaporator vessel and, in the present instance, comprises a pressure actuated valve 49 in the inlet pipe 28. The valve is preferably connected to be actuated by liquid discharged by a pump not shown) interposed in the refrigerant discharge line 21. To this end a pipe 50 having a branch 6| leads from the discharge of the pump to a diaphragm chamber 62 closed by a diaphragm 63 connected to actuate the valve 49. The pipe 50 opens into a float container 54 and is provided with a valve 56 connected to be actuated by a float 56 within the container,.-

The cointainer 34 is connected at the bottom by a conduit 67 to the bottom of the lower compartment in the evaporator vessel 20 to admit liquid from the chambers 39 and 40 to the container. A pipe 36 connects the upper part of the container to the interior of the condenser 29 and chamber 52. The valve 49 will be closed when the liquid level rises or the pressure differential decreases and will be opened when the opposite conditions occur.

Each of the chambers 3|, 32, 39 and 40 is provided with an outlet 59 near the top thereof and leading into the casing of one of the ejectors 2| or 22. Each of these casings opens into the condenser 29 and encloses one or more nozzles 60 to which steam is supplied through a pipe 6| having a valve 62 interposed therein. I

The condenser 29, which may be of any desired construction, preferably provides a single condensing chamber 63 into'which all of the ejector casings open. In the illustrated form of the invention the condenser is of a barometric type to which water is admitted through apipe 64 to come I into immediate contact with the vpor in the condenser.

The condenser is shown positioned above the evaporator vessel in coaxial alignment therewith and is supported by a member 65 mounted on top of the vessel 20. i The member 65 is hollow at its upper end to connect to an outlet 66 in the bottom of the condenser and to connect to a'tail pipe 61 for discharging condensate and condensing water from the condenser.

The casings of the electors 2| are considerably shorter than the casings of the ejectors 22 and all enter the condenser at substantially the same elevation. The ejectors 2| and 22 are preferably alternately and equidistantly spaced around the peripheries of the evaporator and condenser vessels, as shown in Figure 2, in order to uniformly distribute the weight of these members around the vertical axis of the vessels.

It will be understood thatmore than two groups of chambers and more than two chambers in each group may be provided, if desired, but in any event, each chamber will be provided with a separate evacuator member and a separate inlet well and the chambers of each group will have a common inlet and a common outlet.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Under rated refrigerating load all of the ejectors 2| and '22 and chambers 3|, 32, 39 and 40 will be in operation. L quid will be substantially equally divided between the chambers 3| and 32 of the first group and will be subjected to vacua of substantially equal degree in the chambers as maintained by the ejectors 2|. Theliquid cooled in these chambers will then flow into the chambers 99 and 46 of the second group and will be substantially equally distributed thereto to be subjected to vacua of somewhat higher equal degree than the vacuum in the chambers 3| and 32,

and further cooling of the liquid will occur. The

vapor from all of the chambers will be discharged into the common condensing space63.

.Should the refrigerating load drop, one or spending number of valves 62. No particular order of shutting down the ejectors and chambers need be followed for a shutting down of any one of the ejectors will effect a reduction in the refrigerating capacity of the evaporator. It is preferable, however, to first shut off the ejectors 22 for these ejectors must work against the greatest pressure differential.

The number of ejectors in operation may be varied as desired, but so long as any liquid continues to circulate in the system at least one of the ejectors for each group of chambers must be group of chambers, and if all of the ejectors for maintained in operation. The reason for this will be apparent when it is considered that in order for liquid to circulate in the system, it must pass through at least one of the chambers in each any one group of chambers were inactive, the liquid flowing therethrough would come into immediate contact with vapor backing up through the inactive ejector casings into these chambers and be heated by condensing such vapor.

In the illustration, the-chamber 32 of the upper or first group and the chamber 40 of the lower or second group and the corresponding ejectors 2| and 22 are shown as inactive. Condenser pressure is now admitted to these chambers and acts .upon the liquid in the inlet wells 36 and 44 thereof to depress such liquid below the tops of the w'eirs 34 and 45, respectively, of these wells and prevent the admission of liquid to the chambers 32 and 40. The liquid is, however, not depressed below the bottoms of the partitions 33 and 4| and 42, and liquid seals between the chambers are maintained in the inlet wells. The liquid in the chambers 32 and 40 is also depressed somewhat below the level of the liquid in the chambers 3| and 39, respectively, but is not depressed below the bottoms of the troughs in the chambers. Thus, the liquid seals between the bottoms of the chambers 3i and 32, and 39 and 40, respectively, are maintained. The liquid in the inactive chambers remains in a quiet state and absorbs relatively little heat from the fluid backing up from the condenser into these chambers.

It will be apparent, therefore, that by arranging the chambers in groups in which liquid refrigerant passes progressively from one group to another, the liquid may be subjected to a series of vaporizing actions under progressively higher vacuum and be progressively cooled. By the prostopped and isolation of such inactive chambers from the condenser is not required.

I claim: I 1. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator vessel, partition means in the vessel defining upper and lower compartments in the vessel, transverse partitions in each of the compartments to define chambers in the compartments, a common liquid inlet means to the chambers of the upper compartment, a common liqu d outlet means for the chambers of the upper compartment to deliver liquid to the chambers of the lower compartment, and evacuator members connected to the chambers of the evaporator vessel.

of the upper compartment.

2. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator vessel, partition means in the vessel definingupper and lower compartments in the vessel, transverse partitions in each compartment to define chambers in the compartments, partitions cooperating with the transverse partitions to define inlet wells for liquid one in each chamber, a common liquid inlet for the wells in the chambers of the upper compartment, a common liquid outlet for the latter chambers to deliver liquid therefrom to the wells in the chambers of the lower compartment, and evacuator members connected to the chambers of the vessel.

3. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator vessel, a horizontal partition defining upper and lower compartments in the vessel,

transverse vertical partition means in each of the compartments depending from the tops thereof but terminating short of the bottoms of the compartments to define chambers in each compartment, means cooperating with the vertical partition means to define inlet wells one in each chamber, 'a single liquid inlet common to the wells in the chambers of the upper compartment, a single liquid outlet common to the latter chambers and forming an inlet common to the wells in the chambers of the lower compartment, and evacuat'or members connected to the chambers of the vessel.

4. In refrigerating apparatus, evaporator means, means in the evaporator means defining upper and lower compartments, means in the compartments to define chambers therein, a single liquid inlet for all the chambers of the upper compartment, a single liquid outlet conduit for all the chambers of the upper compartment to discharge liquid therefrom to the chambers of the lower compartment, means to reduce the pressure in the chambers of the upper compartment, and means to reduce the pressure in the chambers of the lower compartment to a pressure less than the pressure in the chambers 5. In refrigerating apparatus, evaporator means, means in the evaporator means defining upper and lower compartments, means in the compartments to define chambers in the compartments, a common liquid inlet means for the chambers of the upper compartments, a common outlet means to discharge the liquid from the chambers of the upper compartment .to the chambers of the lower compartment and providing a liquid seal between, the upper compartment chambers and the lower compartment chambers, means to reduce the pressure in the upper compartment chambers, and means to reduce the pressure in the lower compartment chambers to a pressure below the pressure in th upper compartment chambers.

6.. In refrigerating apparatus, evaporator means, means in the evaporator means defining upper and lower compartments, means in the compartments to define chambers in the upper 7. In refrigerating apparatus, evaporator means, means in the evaporator means defining upper and lower compartments, means in the compartments to define chambers in the upper compartment and chambers in the lower compartment, an inlet common to the upper compartment chamber, a common liquid outlet for the upper compartment chambers to deliver the liquid into the lower compartment chambers, a vapor evacuator to reduce the pressure in each chamber, and means to vary the number of evacuators in action thereby to vary the number of chambers in action.

8. In refrigerating apparatus, evaporator means, means in the evaporator means defining render each evacuator inactive, and means associated with the evacuators to increase the pressure in a chamber when the evacuator therefore is inactive, the increased pressure acting on the liquid on the inlet means to prevent admission of liquid in the inactive chamber.

9. In refrigerating apparatus, an evaporator. means in the evaporator means defining upper and lower compartments, means in the compartments to define chambers in the upper compartment and chambers in the lower compartment, a common inlet means and ar outlet means for liquid for the chambers of each-group, means connecting the outlet means of one group of chambers to the inlet means of another group of chambers to connect the groups of chambers in series, said inlet means providing liquid seals between the chambers of a group and said outlet 

